On June 19th we celebrate World Sauntering Day.
Saunter /ˈsôn(t)ər/ To walk in a slow, relaxed manner, without hurry or effort.
Slow down. In fact, try moseying around. June 19 is World Sauntering Day. The day counters the attention given to jogging and encourages people to stroll, ramble, and wander.
Sauntering is a style of walking. A saunter is a slow walk that carries a cheerful attitude. Those who saunter don’t hurry. They absorb the wonders of nature and contemplate the weather. A rare saunterer plots a course, nor do they know their destination. Time? There’s no schedule.
A wooded path or beach makes for excellent saunters. They offer visual and auditory stimulation while allowing the mind to wander. Tranquil city parks present plenty of people-watching opportunities as well as comfortable benches and scenic views to ponder on a lazy afternoon.
The windrow of an open field leading to nowhere would be the perfect sauntering place of a naturalist such as Henry David Thoreau or John Burroughs, two famous saunters.
History of World Sauntering Day
W.T. Rave created World Sauntering Day in 1979 after jogging began to grow in popularity. He wanted people to slow down and appreciate the world around them. The idea came to him while vacationing at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island in Michigan. Perhaps the hotel’s world’s longest porch at 660 feet offered a perfect sauntering place for inspiration.
